| Session Steps |
Presentation |
Materials |
Meal (optional)
General Preparation
Gathering Activities and Materials |
- Decide on the elements of a meal to be shared prior to or after the session
- Recruit volunteers to form a meal planning team
- Issue invitations to households to contribute salad ingredients and/or to bring other food items
- Set up large room with tables to seat eight-ten people (two-three households per table)
- Place large creation symbols on the tables (one symbol per table), along with "Creating an Ideal Garden" and opening prayer service sheets
- Place markers and pens on the tables.
- Set up prayer table
- Fill flower pots with seed packets and closing prayer cards
- Assemble "prop boxes" (optional)
- Affix "Caring for God's Creation" materials to wall or bulletin board
- Determine how and when to use the evaluation forms and children's activity sheets.
- Determine whether to take pictures for later use on web sites.
- Give households one of six small creation symbols as they enter
- Recruit two volunteers for the opening prayer service procession
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- Copies of Belizean Potato Salad recipe (handout #1)
- Copies of mealtime blessing (handout #2)
- Copies of large creation symbols (handout #3A-F) on card stock — one per table
- Copies of "Creating an Ideal Garden" (handout #4) — one per household
- Copies of opening prayer sheets (handout #5) — one per person
- Prayer table materials: Bible, bible stand, candle, cloth, plants and flowers, small water fountain, empty flower pots, seed packets, closing prayer cards
- Run copies of closing prayer cards (handout #11) — one per person
- Suggested prop box materials: sheets, scarves, flashlights, foil, cellophane
- Copies of handout #7 (handout #7)
- Cut out stems and leaves
- Copies of evaluation forms (handout #8)
- Copies of children's activity sheets (handout #9)
- Copies of small creation symbols (handout #3G-I) — one per household
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We Gather
- Opening Activity
- Session overview
- In Praise of God's Creation
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- Invite households to complete handout #4 together
- Invite large group to share their responses
- Share overview of session
- Add announcements
- Greeting by the pastor (optional)
- Sing the opening song
- Lead the group in prayer responses
- Sing "I Know You Are God"
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| We Believe
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- Introduce the biblical stories of creation
- Explain the process for acting out the days of creation
- Invite the groups to make use of the prop boxes (optional)
- Move groups into spaces around the perimeter of the room
- Allow time for groups to prepare
- Reconvene and begin the play
- Read "Day Six" of creation
- Engage the group in discussion
- Share points about God as Creator
- Invite the group to take a break
- Place items on the tables for the next activity
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We Respond
- The World Is God's Gifts to Us
- Wrap-up
- Closing prayer
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- Review aspects of being good stewards of the earth
- Explain the "Garden of Caring" activity
- Assist households in placing flower petals in the "garden of caring"
- Lead the group in an evaluation of the session
- Distribute handout #10
- Explain follow-up activities planned for the parish
- Distribute copies of the Belizean Potato salad recipe (optional)
- Review the characteristics of a garden as a place to appreciate God's gifts of creation
- Invite the group to sit quietly for a few minutes
- Lead the group in the closing prayer
- Distribute prayer cards
- Sing closing song
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